Keeping a Writer's Notepad
Posted: Monday, September 07, 2009
by Mark Bartley
Stocking up on things like paper, a fountain pen, a notepad etc., are all well and good, but once y
Some people enjoy travel writing, some wish to pen a memoir. Either way, you'll need to invest in a good notepad that'll accompany you everywhere you go. Many writers end up writing notes on scraps of paper, Post It paper notes or letter envelopes and end up losing some of their greatest work so ensure you're prepared at all times.
It's always handy to keep a practical and portable notepad to have with you to jot down feelings, experiences and thoughts that can rarely be recaptured. The writer's notepad is the all-important file to document those flashes of emotion and sudden happenings that can eventually be turned into poetry and prose.
When writing in your notepad, on scraps of paper, or even storing ideas on your mobile phone or laptop, make sure you capture the detail and feelings of any given situation; the vivid colour, the way a certain smell is reminiscent of your childhood, the handwriting on a discarded envelope. These intricacies will set your work apart from other writings, and allow the reader to envisage and engage with your piece.
Mimi Schwartz, the author of Writing True: The Art and Craft of Creative Nonfiction, wrote: "The more we write down, the more there is to work with" and details the writer's notepad or notebook as his power source.
Your notepad jottings should be different to those of kept in a journal or diary. Jottings are snippets of landscapes, descriptions, doodles, ideas, thoughts and emotions. They shouldn't be listed or added to with military precision, but posted whenever the feeling or occasion takes you. Speed and capturing the moment are more important than accuracy and neatness. If a feeling or aspect is hard to describe then often a fast, long-winded attempt to capture it will prove more worthwhile later than a short, considered approach where the moment may be lost in contemplation. But even more important is having something to hand to capture those thoughts.
Once you have fallen into the habit of frequently carrying and updating your notepad, you will then be able to make links between the additions, and put together a structure for your poem, article or story. Even if you are not proposing to write for monetary gain or work, you may find that you discover an enjoyment in recording events and feelings perhaps to reflect on or use in years to come. If you're constantly running out of cartridges for your fountain pen, losing random bits of paper or constantly having to re-fill your inkjet cartridges and computer paper, you might want to think about investing in a trusty notebook. Our range of notepads and complementing stationery are definitely worth a look and could help you on your way to a new career choice!
Setting up your office can be quick and easy or a bit of a chore. Arranging a suitable location and finding an office supplies company to buy from are starting points where help may be required. More information about office supplies and office setup is provided by Mark on his office information sites
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